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Padres hope momentum carries vs. Rox

Padres hope momentum carries

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By Ronald P. Clark
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MLB.com |

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres will take their three-game winning streak into Game 1 of their three-game set with the Colorado Rockies.

The Padres are coming off a come-from-behind victory against the National League West-leading Diamondbacks. After losing seven straight games, the Padres' bats woke up in the D-backs series, outscoring Arizona 18-8 in three games. San Diego was led by a red-hot Brian Giles (7-for-10, four RBIs, homer) and Jody Gerut (5-for-14, four RBIs, homer).

The Padres are in a position to impact the NL West race with series remaining against the Dodgers and Rockies. With the playoffs out of the picture, San Diego is looking to play spoiler and position itself with some momentum entering next season.

But first up are the Rockies. And in the first game of the series, Dirk Hayhurst will go to the mound for the Padres. Hayhurst will be making just his second start of the season.

The Rockies will counter with Aaron Cook, who allowed three runs on eight hits with one strikeout and two walks in his previous start against the Reds on Saturday.

Pitching matchupSD: RHP Dirk Hayhurst (0-0, 6.75 ERA)
Hayhurst had an interesting Major League debut on Saturday against the Giants at AT&T Park. Hayhurst, recalled earlier that day, was on a pitch count since most of his work this season in Portland had been in relief. But he went only four innings against the Giants, allowing three runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He could make one more start or end up in the bullpen if the Padres decide Chris Young and/or Shawn Estes would be ready to come off the disabled list.

COL: RHP Aaron Cook (15-8, 3.91 ERA)
Cook wasn't able to make it past the fifth inning for the second straight game Saturday against the Reds. He grinded through five innings, giving up four runs (three earned). Cook has been plagued by fatigue and back stiffness the past few weeks, but he said there were positive signs from his latest outing. Rather than missing up in the strike zone, like he had in his previous three outings, many of his pitches were too low, which resulted in fewer big hits.

Tidbits
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, when San Diego's Chad Reineke defeated the Diamondbacks and Brandon Webb on Wednesday, it marked just the fourth time in the past 50 years that a pitcher with fewer than two career wins defeated an opposing starter seeking his 20th victory of the season: Wayne Franklin vs. Roy Oswalt (2002), Rick Kreuger vs. Ed Figueroa (1976), and Bill Gogolewski vs. Jim Palmer (1970) were the others, with the 19-game winners listed second in each matchup. ... In getting his 27th save of the season, Trevor Hoffman is three saves shy of recording his 13th 30-save campaign, which would extend his own Major League record. ... Outfielder Brian Giles broke a tie with Garry Templeton for sixth on the Padres' all-time runs scored list when he tallied his 431st career run in the eighth inning.